CSUN TRIES LIFE ON ROAD.

Byline: Chris Branam Staff Writer

Big Sky basketball coaches have three considerations when figuring out their chances for a run at the conference title: their team, their opponents and, of course, that funky schedule.

``Each year, you either end up with four at home at the end or four on the road,'' Cal State Northridge men's basketball coach Bobby Braswell said. ``It bothered me a lot after (my) first year. I just figured, they aren't going to change it, so we have to live with it.''

The Matadors (10-3, 2-0) play at Portland State tonight at 7:05, then continue north for Saturday's game at Eastern Washington. Having three of its first four Big Sky games away from Matador Gym is a test for CSUN, which was 8-9 in such games last year.

``We just go out and play the road games just like we play a home game,'' Braswell said. ``If we're fortunate to split some road trips - that's what everybody's goal is - then we can be pleased with that, as long as we take care of (games) at home.''

That's what happened last year, when the Matadors went 2-2 in their final four Big Sky games, all of which were on the road. One of those wins was over Portland State.

--The touch: CSUN doesn't keep records for shooting percentage, but Braswell thinks Northridge's 67-percent performance in last week's 101-86 win at Idaho State is the best in his tenure.

CSUN was 21 of 28 (75 percent) in the first half.

``That just happened to be one of those nights where everything fell,'' he said. ``We've shot the ball pretty consistently throughout the year . . . it really didn't dawn on me that we were shooting that well until I saw the stats at halftime.''

ISU coach Doug Oliver was impressed.

``We were never able to challenge them,'' he said. ``I don't think any team has lit us up like that before.''

--Guessing game: Braswell said he never gets a feel of how CSUN is going to shoot until after tipoff.

``I'm usually in the locker room right before the game, and (associated head coach) Mike Johnson will come in and say something like `The guys are really shooting well (in warmups),' and when he says that we'll probably come out and shoot poorly,'' he said.

``He'll come in the next time and say, `Coach, we're really shooting it bad,' and we'll come out and have a great night.''

--Ranking high: The Matadors were ranked No. 70 in USA Today's Sagarin Ratings in games through Monday. Their Ratings Percentage Index rank, which is used by the NCAA, was 92nd.

--Excused absence: Junior forward Whitney White, who is averaging 3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, missed the Idaho State game because of a death in the family.

CSUN vs. PORTLAND STATE

--Time: 7:05 p.m., Stott Center, Portland.

--TV/Radio: None.

CSUN (10-3, 2-0) UPDATE: The Matadors didn't get their 10th win last year until Jan. 17 in their fifth Big Sky Conference game. They've started 2-0 in the Big Sky for the second time in four years under coach Bobby Braswell. CSUN has won four of six games against PSU and beat the Vikings 88-79 last year at The Rose Garden. Senior F Andre Larry is averaging 16 points per game since moving into the starting lineup on Dec. 28; he's averaging 13.3 ppg overall. Sophomore G Markus Carr leads the Big Sky in assists per game with 7.3.

PORTLAND STATE (8-5, 0-1) UPDATE: The Vikings opened the conference with a loss at Weber State. First-team All-Big Sky F Jason Hartman (Thousand Oaks High) graduated, but senior Ime Udoka, a transfer from San Francisco who redshirted last season, is one of the Big Sky's top all-around players (15.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 3.3 apg). Senior G Derek Nesland averages 12.9 ppg and 2.8 apg.

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Box: CSUN vs. PORTLAND STATE (see text)